I just spent hours troubleshooting a completely broken Windows 11 Search bar, only to discover the cause was an environment variable pointing directly to SayIntentionsAI's application data directory.

Every time I opened Windows Search, it displayed a blank white panel and never loaded. I tried practically everything: rebuilding the search index, resetting registry settings, running SFC/DISM, performing a clean boot, and even reinstalling Windows 11 through its repair installation feature. Nothing worked.

Eventually, I used Microsoft Process Monitor and PowerShell to investigate SearchHost.exe and discovered that Windows Search's WebView2 process was referencing SayIntentionsAI's directory.

The culprit was a user level environment variable called WEBVIEW2_USER_DATA_FOLDER, which pointed to SayIntentionsAI's WebView2 folder. This setting can affect unrelated applications that rely on Microsoft's WebView2 runtime.

I removed the variable, restarted Windows, and Search immediately worked again.

The fix was literally one PowerShell command:

[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('WEBVIEW2_USER_DATA_FOLDER', $null, 'User')

What concerns me is that while some flight simulation add ons make Windows level changes for specific purposes, such as modifying the hosts file or installing virtual device drivers, I haven't found another mainstream add on publicly documenting a persistent WebView2 override that disrupts unrelated Windows functionality.

There are also potential cybersecurity implications. Redirecting unrelated WebView2 applications toward an unexpected browser data location could create data isolation or privacy risks, depending on permissions and how those applications manage browser data. This deserves investigation.

To be clear, I haven't confirmed that SayIntentionsAI itself created this variable, and I have no evidence of malware or stolen information. What I can confirm is that the variable pointed to SayIntentionsAI's directory, Windows Search was using that path, and removing it fixed the problem.

I'd like the developers to explain whether their software sets this variable and, if so, why they're applying an application specific WebView2 configuration at the Windows user level.

I enjoy their product, but software shouldn't interfere with core Windows functionality. This cost me hours of troubleshooting and an unnecessary Windows repair installation.

If you're experiencing a blank Windows Search panel and have SayIntentionsAI installed, check whether WEBVIEW2_USER_DATA_FOLDER exists in your Windows user environment variables.

Hopefully this saves someone else the same headache and encourages the developers to investigate.

Imagine a newborn coming out of incubator…that is me in the flightsim hobby. Personally want HOTAS for immersion in games like WarThunder, Ace Combat, and DCS, which would benefit from HOTAS, but I also am very interested in games like Elite Dangerous, Star Citizen, and SW:Squadrons which would benefit from HOSAS… am I forced to get HOSAS to enjoy space games? Is a throttle even necessary if I have little plans to fly airliners?

FlyingWx is now free for pilots, dispatchers and anyone in aviation

For the last year I’ve been building a tool to fix something that bugged me every day: checking a flight meant having a dozen government sites open in different tabs.

FlyingWx puts it all on one screen, decoded into useful information and kept up to date automatically:

Live weather. METAR, TAF and PIREPs decoded, with colour-coded flight categories you can read at a glance

NOTAMs in plain English. FAA and Canadian NOTAMs parsed into readable text, including closures and RSC

Interactive map. Stations, SIGMETs/AIRMETs, radar and live lightning on one map

GFA charts. Canadian graphical area forecasts

TAF timeline. See how conditions change hour by hour at every station you follow

3-D turbulence and icing. A cross-section along your route

HOT, RSC and runways. De-ice holdover times, runway surface conditions and closures

Special monitors. Pin the conditions that matter to you and get flagged when a station crosses them

City forecasts worldwide

All the data comes from official sources: FAA, NAV CANADA, Environment Canada and NOAA. Nothing is made up, and every item shows how fresh it is.

It’s free. No account and no download. Just open it in your browser:

https://flyingwx.app

Progressive Web App also available if you want to pin to your smart devices as icons, open independently.

We flight simmers see to be a fickle bunch.

Discord pings of updates get complaints. We want to know exact dates/times lest ye be flogged. Verbose updates are long in the tooth and an annoyance. If anything is a mismatch of our expectations, rioting is the only reasonable response.

That said, I think the MSFS side has quite a suite of available products and keeping up is a chore by itself.

Therefore, it's my opinion that Fenix has the best method of communication which is - we hear next to nothing until it's time and ready.

This leave the least amount of room for disappointments, it permits us to stow our bloodied pitchforks, and allows for anticipation in releases of new aircraft or major updates.

The Fenix v3 video that released over the weekend is phenomenal. Significant updates to the a320 family across the board.

We wait, it comes when it comes, and that's ok. I appreciate Blue Bird taking this same approach post 757 release. I'd prefer it to say - FSS who had good communication but perceived failed execution namely because of time.

PMDG isn't bad, per se, but the verbose nature of Rob and the perceived excuses have run their course. I'd prefer radio silence over failed expectations.

So what's the point of this? Our disappointment is because of failed expectations OR misaligned expectations. The only reasonable way is for most devs to take the route of radio silence, and we receive a product when it's properly ready, with a proper communication.

AliveGrass 1.0.1 is rolling out tonight as stores process the update:

• Fixed missing grass in affected AutoOrtho/XPME areas.
• Improved vegetation loading and preparation.
• Updated 54 flower models.
• Medium quality is now the default.

We’re also reaching out to SkunkCrafts about adding AliveGrass to their updater / nothing confirmed yet.

· Launcher / website
· X-Plane.org Store
· simMarket

Thanks to everyone testing and reporting issues.

Many of you are aware of Flighty, the real world flight tracking app that keeps track of your flights as well as your friend's flights. Instagram popped up with Cobalt that released earlier this month and essentially has the same functionality for your sim.

It tracks and keeps record of your flights. It has live activities for iPhone. Just download the app on the App Store, create an account and download the bridge for your PC. I believe they are planning to bring support to Android in the near future as well.

I have done multiple long haul flights and have not noticed any memory leaks nor performance degradation as a result of using the Cobalt bridge connected to my phone.

I am using the free version but there is a paid Peak version that gets you more features as well. I have no direct affiliation with Cobalt or their team at all, just sharing a cool app I found and have been using that I think other simmers would enjoy using!

https://cobaltsim.com

Hi guys,

Sadly, it's time for some annoying promo/test again. What initially started out as a fun project for me and a friend has now grown into a fairly extensive career mode simulation. I'd love to do some further testing, but the main issues are now more related to different aircraft addons, which my friends and I don't own.

So if anybody wants to take part in some testing or just wants a reason to fly, just hit me up and I can provide you with access. My only ask would be that you provide as much feedback as you can. We're a bit blind to potential issues (unless they're big) since we've already gotten used to using this platform.

I'll do a bit of a breakdown now.

It's a fairly simple addon. The whole career stuff is simulated within a browser, while the flight tracking happens through a flight tracker using MSFS SimConnect. So why did we even start making this?

Well, we've been using another addon for a pretty long time. However, when we started flying on VATSIM, some things continued to annoy us. For example, you get punished (point-wise) for flying a go-around.

It works pretty easily:

1. Register
2. Install the tracker
3. Apply for any 1 star airline
4. Bid for your routes
5. Fly the routes with the tracker
6. After some time you can move to "better" airlines

So far, we've tested it over 80 flights and around 42,311 NM.

Other bonuses include a world map that tracks where you've flown, as well as leaderboards, stats, seniority and route bidding. There's also a system that rewards you for flying and being loyal to airlines.

The basic foundation (backend) is already there to allow you to found your own airlines and hire real people down the line.

A few basic screens:

Short FAQ kinda thing:

Is this AI slop? Has AI been used?

Let me clarify first that AI has definitely been used to create this. Whether this is slop or not is obviously up to everyone to decide. My goal is to be as transparent as possible, so the main areas of AI usage are research (airline info, routes, destinations) and some of the front-end design elements (for example, the world map & the pilot card). The landing page was also mainly created with AI and then modified by myself. 

The whole backend architecture was done by me and a friend, same goes with the logic behind the systems. The same goes for the tracker logic, the connection between the tracker and the backend, and so on. Especially when it comes to the backend, my goal was to be 100% certain that all data and everything else is secure and complies with my local laws. The AI tools used to help create this were Claude Code and Grok.

Are the airlines real or fictional? Are the routes real?

We're trying to portray real airline names, routes and fleets, but getting accurate data is very expensive and something we currently can't afford. So I'd say we have a pretty good level of accuracy when it comes to destinations. 

The aircraft assigned to each route, though? Those are most likely not very accurate and are based more on logic than on real-world data. 

Obviously, any airline will be removed if its rights holder raises an objection.

Will this be free or paid?

To be clear, this is intended to become a paid product down the line. As I said, I want to be as honest as possible, so here's the planned pricing: 

Free tier:
You can fly for 1-star airlines for as long as you like. If you want to move up to 2 stars or higher, you'd need to purchase the full package. (Reaching 2 stars currently takes around 25 flight hours. This is subject to change.) 

Full package:
€19.99 – a one-time purchase with no subscription. Maybe, down the line, an additional €9.99 for an operator/own airline mode. 

To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure if I really want to pursue the paid plan. I'm especially unsure whether I want to go through the whole process of setting up a business and so on. 

My goal with a paid package would be to get the tracker code-signed and to be able to purchase, at least once, a package of real-world routes, destinations and so on.

If this ever goes paid, every tester obviously doesn't have to pay anything.

Is only MSFS 2024 supported? And why does Windows say the tracker is not secure?

I've only really tested it with MSFS 2024 so far, so I'd say yes. I've been working on getting it to work with X-Plane as well (it's already in the live build), but it's still in a very early alpha stage. It's flyable, but most likely not very enjoyable yet. 

My goal is to make it so that you don't have to install anything else besides the tracker, so no FSUIPC or anything like that. 

Also, the Windows warning sadly pops up if your .exe isn't code-signed. Code signing costs quite a bit of money, and you need to reach a certain number of downloads before the warning goes away.

Earlier this year, I spoke at both FSWeekend and FSExpo about the vision of Tailstrike: aircraft that actually exist, as they do in real life.

I imagined a shared world that mimics reality, where each aircraft I fly in the sim is a unique machine, with a real-life registration and a virtual history written by many pilots over many flights.

I imagined that, just as there is one single tailnumber flying each real world flight today, the same could be true in flight sim. That there could be just one true N619FE for everyone, and that I could fly it from LAX to Memphis just like the one real N619FE is flying today. And that others could see I flew the same flight, at the same time, with the same callsign, and in the same exact one-of-one registration that's operating it in real life.

And I imagined that when I loaded into N619FE, I would enter a unique, lived-in aircraft, where every switch, radio, fuse, and the condition of every system was exactly how the last pilot left it. Where failures and emergencies were not just random or caused solely by me, but were the result of thousands of hours and hundreds of pilots, each leaving a mark on the aircraft.

To me, that vision was the layer of realism that’s been missing in flight sim. And I'm beyond excited to say that the vision has become reality.

Tailstrike is a free network of shared airframes that move around and exist permanently in a shared world. It's open to everyone and includes all types of aircraft, all with real registrations, all around the world. The first flight was logged over a year ago, it launched out of beta a few months ago, and it’s growing quickly.

On Tailstrike, aircraft state persists between pilots. Through our partnership with TFDi Design, the MD-11 became the first high-fidelity persistent aircraft on Tailstrike: the complete configuration, panel state, systems, wear and failures stay with each shared aircraft. You can step into the cockpit exactly as the last pilot left it (but only if you want to). It's free for everyone on every flight, and basic settings like radios and altimeter persist for all aircraft types, not just the MD-11. We have more high-fidelity aircraft integrations on the way, in direct partnership with the developers. How it works.

And we recently launched Real Flights, a feature that allows pilots to match a Tailstrike aircraft with a real world flight: the same airline, type, route, callsign, and even the same exact registration that's operating that flight right now in real life. When the real aircraft's location matches the Tailstrike aircraft's location, you can perform a perfect mirrored flight. It's not just info on a flight plan or a matching livery, it's a unique, one-of-one persistent tailnumber in the shared world, flown in sync with the real aircraft. And every "exact match" flight is marked in the public logbook.

This is the pinnacle of realism. Whether you do long haul or GA, military or charters, Tailstrike is the network where flying has an impact. Lease an aircraft, fly one leg, and leave it for the next pilot. The plugin works with MSFS 2020/2024 and X-Plane, online or offline: https://tailstrike.net

Hello, currently I am just using a basic joystick with a built-in throttle, but I would love to get a proper setup with separate controls and have some questions.

1. I would like to get some rudder pedals with toe brakes, and I am curious how sensitive the pedals are. Ideally, I want something with a little resistance so it's not easy to accidentally use too much force when braking. So which brand has the best feel in terms of having good/decent resistance so I have good control over the brakes and rudder?
2. Are there any brackets that I can attach to the arms of my chair to hold the throttle and joystick? With the way my desk is, I have to sit a little ways back if I want to use rudder pedals naturally, so I would like something that I can attach to each side of the chair for the controllers. Also, I would probably swap the position of the throttle and joystick depending on whether I am flying an airliner or a military jet.

Maybe theres a runway over there that im unaware of

A B17 fully functioning sim. The flight mechanics are mostly figured out. Every position is playable. You start in a cold plane, Crew Flying pilot button is the simplest way to get started.

This is based on the original B17 1990s game. No affiliation.

I play on GeForce Now so MSFS 2024 and X-Plane 12 are both available and should work excellent performance wise. I do not have a joystick or anything like that, just a simple Xbox controller.

My aim is to play casually but slow and steady learn how to fly an A350. Meaning eventually doing the engine startup sequence, flight computer, IFR landings, emergency stuff, etc.

I am not a pilot and don’t intend to be and won’t be investing in a flight stick setup or anything anytime soon. For such requirements, which flightsim would be better suited for me?

Ironically, I got an ad blocker a few months ago because of the insane number of ads everywhere on flightsim.to

Now they are completely ruining it for those using an ad blocker by having this pop up every single time you click on something. I sent a support request asking them to get rid of this pop up and stop punishing users to which they just told me to pay for premium without ads.

Part of their response to my support ticket was the following: "If you compare the amount of ads on Flightsim.to compared to other websites in the industry, and you'll quickly realize that our advertising is actually quite limited.” I responded back with asking them to give me the websites they are referring to because in my research not a single other flight sim website that utilizes ads to operate gives users this pop up everywhere completely crippling the user experience.

Someone please create a new repository and website for MSFS add ons

What a great work and Cinema at Copenhagen Tonight, Controller and Also the Pilots!

Toyama scenery by KAZE: https://flightsim.to/addon/23392/rjnt-toyama-intl-airport Atmos Core and ReShade profiles by sg_aviation

There are many talented livery makers out there, for whatever reason, I love making a cabin that looks as close as I can make it for them (if you make exteriors hit me up ill make a cabin for you)

For me, it is fun to do the full gate to gate immersion thing, so a nice livery appropriate cabin is important to me.

Anyway, some photos of a fictional Delta, United, and Alaska airlines cabin if the A340-300 was still going around today. I based them on their latest cabins other than Delta, I chose the classic for that one. The Alaska was inspired from their Aurora livery, which is my favorite I have done so far.

Gorgeous plane, in my opinion. I grew up in Edison Park, Chicago right in line for 27c. I remember seeing a few A340s go right over my house on final. (Park Ridge/Edison Park Niles area) if anyone knows where that is!

I got MSFS 2024 (the Steam version) running on a base M4 Mac mini with macOS 27, through Highball, a free and open source app I work on. It runs on the Mac itself (not through cloud streaming or a virtual machine).

How it runs (Cessna 172 at Gibraltar, Medium preset with FSR Balanced)

• About 22 fps parked and 19 on the take-off roll
• The first launch takes about 13 minutes to reach the cockpit
• Tested with 32 GB of memory, needs macOS 26.5 or later

How to try it

1. Get Highball from https://gethighball.com
2. Set up Steam in Highball and install the game
3. Press Play, choose "Use the preview engine", then "New environment"

Known issues

Take-offs can still hitch, now and then a start crashes while loading (starting again works), some lights are missing, and dense cities like New York need more GPU memory than a 32 GB Mac has. Yokes and controllers are untested so far.

If you try it on a different Mac, let me know how it goes! The full story of how it was made to work:https://gethighball.com/docs/flight-simulator-2024-apple-silicon/